Step Aside
by LittleVics
Summary: Just about Shepards sour encounter with Kaidan on Horizon, and how Garrus reacts to it, as well as other emerging thoughts and feelings he didn't know he had for the Commander. Just something bitter sweet if your looking for something light to read.


Step Aside.

_Face it later_ - FFXIII OST

"Bring the Normandy back round...I've had enough of this goddamn colony"

_'Right, ETA 10 minutes'_ said Joker.

She let her arm drop down to her side as the Visor ended communication to the ship that could not get back to retrieve them fast enough.

Kaiden just...walked away

She stood there, starring ahead, but not truly seeing. The few survivors who had managed to escape the initial insect seeker swarm were beginning to emerge, their expressions holding anguish when they realised how lucky they were. And what it cost. A few approached her with questions, but Shepard outright ignored them, she did what had to be done and her job here was finished, the aftermath was not her concern any more.

Good thing Thane took the initiative and directed them towards Kaidan who had strut off into the distance, doing a head count of who was not paralysed, and aiding those with minor injuries. If Thane was a second late Shepard was sure she would have told them to 'take their problems to the Alliance soldier', and probably not in the good manner she had little patience for.

Garrus stood nearby, trying to reconfigure the damaged Mantis rifle he had, damn husks. He glanced towards Shepard, and for once, understood exactly what the Commander was feeling. Not being able to give Kaiden a proper explanation whilst he told them exactly what he thought of Cerberus...and what he _now_ thought of them. Was there even a way to explain how they had come to agree to work with the very institute they had fought against? Garrus gave the rifle a solid slap but it still didn't do the trick, looks like it was as good as broken.

Both squad mates watched on curiously as Shepard suddenly reared up from her daze. "Gather what supplies you can afford to salvage from this area, double time" she barked, more demanding then usual and stormed off. Ash black hair was swaying side to side with the oncoming wind.

"Is there something I'm not privy to?" asked Thane once the Commander was a good distance away.

"The lieutenant and Shepard were former...comrades. Very close."

"Hmm, I gathered as much..."

Thane simply starred at Garrus, somehow reading the Turian's sudden silence that the situation was more delicate then he was willing to let on. There were things that ought to be kept private from other members.

He said, "It was not your place...I understand"

"Um, thanks I guess..."

The calm between them was a bit more awkward as they silently began taking stock of ammo, picking up a few materials in the loading bays that would no longer be of use to the now hollow colony. It was a bit of quirk of hers, every time they would sweep an area clean of any criminals (or in this case Collectors) Shepard would waste no time in searching every cupboard and safe for lost and forgotten goods. In the good old day's it soon became apparent to the old crew that what she would end up salvaging was often useless, nobody could figure out why she would do this. Sometimes an old jewellery box, other times an outlawed rifle that was conveniently suited for a Krogan like Wrex. It was better not to leave the scavenging to the Commander, in most cases.

After the attack on the Citadel Garrus had not stopped trying to figure out what went through Shepards head, the way she lingered about for another extra moment before leaving a room, or her motivation for pushing a Merc' off the edge of building instead of just shooting him. He vividly recalled eavesdropping on a conversation between Williams and Alenko one evening after the Eden Prime incident. Ashley laughed about how she was surprised that Shepard wasn't born Krogan instead, Alenko was uncomfortable with this especially after they had consumed enough drinks to regret the day after. And then Shepard emerged from her many random resting places on the ship and simply strolled out, muttering how noisy everybody was. The look on the Gunnery Cheif's face was priceless, one of the many fond moments he had of Shepard.

The day she had died was something Garrus would prefer not to revisit for as long as he lived.

Not a few minutes later they heard the echoed sound of glass shattering. Bringing the absent Turian back to the serene setting.

Garrus immediately picked up his gun and looked through the broken scope, sweeping the area around him. There didn't seem to be any stranglers remaining from the Collector ship. But his concerns immediately shifted towards the Commander.

"All clear" He said.

The Drell assassin relaxed his stance "Likewise...it came from over there" He pointed towards the residential area, just outside the loading docks.

His mandibles flared, there shouldn't be anyone left in the area "Stay here, Joker ought to be here any moment so I'll be right back"

"Of course"

Garrus ventured towards the neat little rows of deserted housing, gripping his gun a little tighter when he spotted open cabinets and safe vaults...with their valuables still inside. These were not disturbed when the team used it as cover against the Collector ambush much earlier, if push came to shove he could use the broken rifle as a club. Would ease today's frustration very nicely...

There was that sound again, this time, a door being slammed. It came from the connecting house.

He quickly raced over, and opened the door only to find Commander Shepard sitting on a small crate, arms resting languidly on her thighs with a rather generously full bottle of brown fluid in hand.

She was hunched over, but straightened up and glanced at Garrus as he fidgeted, trying to think of something to say under her scrutinising gaze.

She was the first to break the ice, "I was...thirsty. Sorry"

Yes, he could smell it, it was faint but he figured that was her first bottle. Looks like the run in with Alenko hit her harder then he thought.

"I...We, thought there was a straggler but I should have figured it was you. You were always keen on the little things that may be hiding in crates"

She took another swig of her bottle, "They hide the good alcohol in those small places"

Her brow deepened when she looked away, gazing out the glass window as the sun set over Horizon. Her black eyes suddenly glistened over. Discarding the weapon Garrus quickly sat right next to her, and she didn't protest.

"Uh, did you see the way Thane popped that Collector right between the eye? The explosion was fantastic. The mark of true marksman, you made the right decision bringing him along. You always pull through sooner or later Shepard...you have our support"

She flinched, "Y-Yes!" she said, voice full of shock. In realisation Shepard turned her head away from him and 'rubbed' her eyes, taking a deep breath, chest puffing before she breathed out.

"Better?" He asked.

"Yes. Thank you..."

For you, any time.

For a few moments both comrades sat there together, side by side in comfortable silence and simply admiring the suns evening light bleeding into the landscape and washing over them.

"Why is it that...you're always there when I least expect it Garrus?" In an unexpected move she turned and looked at him right in his eyes, leaning forward just that little bit closer. This time it felt different. Not like the times when she visited him down at the shuttle bay in his calibrating-the-Mako days. Not like the times when he fell in battle and she took cover beside him, protecting him from the endless waves of Geth when he was expendable. And especially not like the time when she whispered to him that 'everything will be alright', when he took a rocket to face after Archangel was unmasked.

It felt different in a sense that he realised what these sensations truly meant. It all clicked. It was unusual. It is unnatural, Vakarian just knew it.

He shot straight up and distanced himself, "You know me, I'll always be there for you. Is that the Normandy? I think that's the Normandy, we should get going before Joker gets anxious"

Shepard froze for a moment, starring at the spot where he used to be. She blinked.

"Of course, I've wasted enough time, let's get back to our mission" She carefully placed the bottle at her feet before standing up straight, doing a little arm stretching. A rare smiled found itself on her lips. Just outside, the hum of a ship's engine came closer and Joker called in.

Shepard placed a finger on her Visor, "Took your sweet time pilot"

_'Sorry Commander, it's hard to hear you through that giant Collector ship I've had to dodge.'_

"Shepard out"

Her arm dropped, "Let's get moving Vakarian"

"Right"

As they left the little house, he didn't bother retrieving his broken gun.

The small shuttle descended and the pair ran to catch up, the door opened up to reveal two crew members who waved down at them and leaped out beside Thane who patiently waited, leaning against two full crates of supplies he salvaged.

Shepard was beyond surprised, if not a little concerned at how he found so many items "I'm impressed"

He humbly nodded, "We need all the resources we can get for this mission. I can assure you nothing was stolen"

"If they were, blame Kasumi's influence" said Garrus.

Shepard smiled and simply boarded the shuttle as the crates were loaded. Just as Garrus was about to follow, a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"You are in need of new gun..." Thane's tone suggested that wasn't all the Turian would be needing in the gruelling weeks to come.

Those good old days with the old crew and the old Normandy were now light years behind. They won't be getting them back, all that is left are old memories. The hilarity of the crew trying to figure out how Tali ate, the rather unnerving remarks Wrex would make in the Citadel elevator, the hilarious love triangle that ensued between Liara, Kaidan and Shepard...and finally, spotting Kaidan sneak out of the Commanders room right before Sovereign hit home. He was there for all of it. And Although the members Shepard had managed to recruit so far were very few, as long as he stood beside her through the ordeal to come, he can convince himself that everything will be...alright.

Garrus could only hope Shepard could figure that out for herself as well.

"Yes, looks like I'll need of a new gun..."

Soon enough they boarded the shuttle and shot right up into the sky towards the waiting ship. The day had been long and exhausting for all of them, Garrus and Thane looked about ready for rest the second they got back. Shepard felt much the same, planning a shower and a quick meal before retiring to a bed fitted with new sheets she got at Illium. Information wasn't the only thing Liara prided herself in.

She stole a quick glance at her squad mates, making a mental note to take her crew on a mercy run to the Citadel. Shepard had been driving them hard to get them up to shape to the killer task the Illusive man no doubt had up his sleeve.

Leaning against the window and looking down at the colony, she could faintly make out a handful of figures on the ground, one of them in pristine Alliance uniform, he was different to the rest.

She swore that he looked at the retreating shuttle...before turning and walking away.

Her fist tightened.

_Kaidan_...

END  
~~~

AN: Another fic whilst working on three others? YOLOOOOOO! I'm kidding...

This was done on a whim, is not part of anything big, or even anything special. Just some musings I wanted to toy with...I've _had_ to get this fic off my chest, it's been ringing in my head in the 'what if's...' section after I recently started playing the mass effect series.

This was inspired after meeting a romanced Kaidan again on Horizon (ME2) and he practically shot down my Shepard (Her image is at the top left), for some odd reason the scene was more gut wrenching and infuriating then I expected it to be. Damn you.

Garrus romance in ME2 was interesting, he was conflicted (not overly) about having Shepard test her 'flexibility' with him, especially since she is human. I decided to add that uncertainty a little bit here, although he is not in love, it was kindled after this moment onwards, and our favourite Turian tries to resist. Hope it shows.

What do you think? Opinions much appreciated.


End file.
